Season 1 Episode 9 – Vulnerability

In which I talk about the necessity of vulnerability, yoga, time travel, and paradoxes.

Dr. Brené Brown has done extensive work on shame and vulnerability that has informed my theology deeply. I believe that her work directly expresses how to live out what Jesus called the greatest command: love. If we can’t be vulnerable, if we can’t process our shame, then we can’t love ourselves, others, or God.

We all need love and belonging; Dr. Brown has shown this to be an unquestionable fact. Without vulnerability we can’t give and receive love and belonging. With vulnerability we are at risk of the pain of shame. It is a risk to love and be loved; yet unless we take that risk we all lose.

The paradox of love is this: to belong you must risk not belonging. The choice to be vulnerable is the choice to pursue love, despite the cost.